Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Williamsport, PA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Williamsport, PA: $2,197 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in Williamsport, PA
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Williamsport, PA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Williamsport, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,197

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Williamsport, PA and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Williamsport, PA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,197 per month in Williamsport, PA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Williamsport, PA $2,197
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,195 per month in Williamsport, PA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Williamsport, PA $3,195
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,194 per month in Williamsport, PA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Williamsport, PA $4,194
Chicago, IL $5,999

Williamsport, PA is about 28% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Williamsport, PA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Williamsport, PA by 61%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.10 $19.10

$20.71 $20.71

-7.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$89.2 $89.2

-33.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$13.19 $13.19

-25.70%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.66 $5.66

-9.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.64 $2.64

-23.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.28 $2.28

-33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.85 $8.85

$6.87 $6.87

28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$8.84 $8.84

-65.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.25 $1.25

0.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.72 $3.72

23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$5.39 $5.39

13.54%

Eggs

$7.03 $7.03

$4.74 $4.74

48.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 $13.99

$13.84 $13.84

1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 $10.39

$14.40 $14.40

-27.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.46 $19.46

$18.38 $18.38

5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$5.22 $5.22

16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.98 $1.98

83.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.06 $4.06

6.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$4.97 $4.97

6.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.67 $2.67

17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.66 $2.66

15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.24 $2.24

38.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.13 $3.13

-4.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.03 $15.03

$13.82 $13.82

8.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$14.88 $14.88

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.54 $2.54

-29.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.51 $3.51

0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.18 $3.18

-5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.39 $1.39

57.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.59 $41.59

$25.03 $25.03

66.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.20 $1.20

-10.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$169 $169

$194 $194

-12.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$50.8 $50.8

$69.5 $69.5

-26.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 $30.42

$61.6 $61.6

-50.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.31 $44.31

$47.90 $47.90

-7.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$20.54 $20.54

$17.81 $17.81

15.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,011 $2,011

$1,794 $1,794

12.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-49.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$67.0 $67.0

-24.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.2 $81.2

$52.1 $52.1

55.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 $87.1

$102 $102

-14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$144 $144

-29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$2,526 $2,526

-48.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 $925

$1,578 $1,578

-41.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$4,738 $4,738

-66.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$2,693 $2,693

-48.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,424 $1,424

$4,190 $4,190

-66.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,422 $1,422

$2,768 $2,768

-48.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,061 $4,061

$4,931 $4,931

-17.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.81

-0.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Williamsport, PA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Williamsport, PA

$925 42.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 70.6% $653

Groceries & Markets

Williamsport, PA

$469 21.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 4.7% $22

Eating Out

Williamsport, PA

$308 14%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11.9% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Williamsport, PA

$251 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 29.9% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Williamsport, PA

$144 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 13.8% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Williamsport, PA

$85 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 2.2% $1.9

Getting Around

Williamsport, PA

$14 * 0.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 568% $79

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,299 in Williamsport, PA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Williamsport, PA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $469 in Williamsport, PA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Williamsport, PA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:04 9:04 PM

20:04 8:04 PM

1 h behind Williamsport, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

27,754

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Williamsport, PA Chicago, IL 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Williamsport, PA
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Williamsport, PA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,197 in Williamsport, PA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Williamsport, PA comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,295 per month in Williamsport, PA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Williamsport, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,299 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Williamsport, PA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,197 in Williamsport, PA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,197 in Williamsport, PA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Williamsport, PA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.